Medical Care of Patient with HIV-Associated Kaposi’s Sarcoma: Case Report

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is an important health problem that develops with the proliferation of vascular endothelial and perivascular connective tissue cells and that holds many foci in the body. While involvement of skin and mucosa is at the forefront of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma, its symptoms may be asymptomatic in purple colour as macule or nodule. In the presence of gastrointestinal system involvement, symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, or bleeding can be seen. This study was conducted to determine the care needs of a case diagnosed with HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma, to plan nursing interventions and to evaluate the results. The manuscript type is a case report. A 37-year-old male patient, in June 2018, purple nodular skin lesions that started on the arms and then spread throughout the body were observed. In addition to the lesions, the symptoms such as dry cough, night sweat, and nasal convection have also developed on the patient. As a result of lesion biopsy performed on 27.07.2018, the patient was diagnosed with Kaposi’s sarcoma. HIV RNA viral load quantify by PCR (RealStar®, Altona Diagnostics, Germany) result, which was examined on 10.08.18, of the patient with about 6 weight loss in this process was found as quantitative positive; 179.000 cpy/mL. Carboplatin and liposomal doxorubicin chemotherapy treatment was started on the patient who received Genova 1 × 200 mg for HIV treatment. As a result of computed tomography (CT), it was spotted that there were several nodules in the liver, abdomen, and lung. On April 1, 2019, the patient who received outpatient chemotherapy developed respiratory distress, and the patient applied to the hospital. The respiratory rate of the patient, who was taken to intensive care unit, was measured as 30/min, his saturation as 90%, and heart rate as 112/min and blood pressure as 70/30 mmHg. Subsequently, the patient was followed up with endotracheal intubation. As a result of collaborative interventions implemented in the line with care plan, it was determined that the symptoms regressed, the risks that could develop in the patient were prevented, and the life quality of the patient increased. When the literature was examined, there were not enough studies about medical care in HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma disease. Therefore, it was considered that this shared case will guide the medical care of patients that are undergoing Kaposi’s sarcoma treatment.